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What Is BJJ?

What is bjj? It is both a martial art and a sport that focuses on grappling control for you to beat your rival.

Several of the techniques were adopted from judo and jiu-jitsu. Picking up how to execute the proper technique enables even a smaller and more frail person to subdue an assailant who is stronger which is why it is also employed in self-defense classes.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu developed as recently as in the 1920’s. It only earned world renown recognition when Royce Gracie dominated the Ultimate Fighting Championship several times after it was established in in the early 90's. As a result, a variety of academies are now teaching this art.

You can say that the popularity as a sport is second after football.  There are fights held regularly like the European Championships, the Mundials and the Pan American Games

If you want to be successful in bjj, repetition is key and the sole method you can do that is through training and sparring. This signifies fighting against a live and resisting partner under simulated conditions while at the same time being cautious not to cause any serious injuries.

During rolling and tournaments, participants are mandated to don the kimono. It looks very similar to what you would wear when you train judo. The difference is that the outfit has more restrictive cuffs on both the jacket and pants.

Submissions in Brazilian jiu-jitsu are done either through chokes or joint locks. Choking as you know involves constricting the windpipe so the opponent is unable to breathe. Aside from that, there is also what is known as a strangle which shuts down the carotid artery. Choking is less efficient than a strangle and can cause permanent damage or even death which is why the second is used more frequently during tournaments.

As for joint locks which are probably more safe, what you're doing is making a lever with the body position which forces the joint to move past its normal range of motion. This is otherwise known as hyperextension and since there's no way out of it, the enemy has no other action but to tap. 

Anyone can be taught bjj. As you improve, you get promoted to the next belt level. Beginners start with the white and move their way to the red belt. For those who are below 15 years of age, you work your way from white to green belt.

How fast you advance depends on the amount of time the person puts in and how quickly they learn. To reach the elite class for example, it takes at least ten years or even more.

With Brazilian jiu-jitsu making its mark in the world scene, you won’t have a difficult time discovering a gym that's offering classes. The only thing you have to do now is manage your time properly since this is done in a group setting and you are just one of many that are learning the ropes of this sport. As a noob, you do not have to get a uniform so just come in wearing a shirt and shorts.  If you are trying to find a bjj blog that doesn't take it too seriously, you should check out doyoubjj.com.